Innerspring mattress construction and reinforcing means for the side walls thereof



April 11, 1961 M. BECHIK INNERSPRING MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION ANDREINFORCING MEANS FOR THE SIDE WALLS THEREOF Filed June 25, 1960 FIE..1.

I I I I I I I INVENTOR. M'IcHAEI. BECHIK fifiif i/IIIIIIIIIIIIIII?ATTORNEY;

1+ III I I I I I I a /7 %& 2\ LIIIIIIII 'EzEI I United States Patent.

INNERSPRING MATTRESS CONSTRUCTION AND REINFOIiTCING MEANS FOR THE SIDEWALLS THEREO Michael Bechik, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to BechikProducts Inc., St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of M]!!- nesota Filed June23, 1960, Ser. No. 38,268

1 Claim. (Cl. 5-351) My invention relates generally to mattressconstruction and more particularly to improvements in mattresses of theinnerspring type.

Still more specifically my invention relates to improvements designed toreinforce the side walls of innerspring mattresses, so as to discourageaccidental rolling off of occupants therefrom. Efiorts along this lineare not new. However, devices heretofore used for this purpose are ofthe type which are installed at longitudinally spaced points along themargin, particularly the side walls of the mattress, as distinguishedfrom the opposite ends thereof. Such devices are not entirelysatisfactory, however, in view of the fact that they leave unsupportedareas between spaced side wall reinforcing members.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of improved meansfor reinforcing the side walls of innerspring mattresses which may bereadily installed during construction of a mattress in a conventionalmanner and which will uniformly yieldingly support the mattress wall forthe full extent of its length, preferably entirely about the margin ofsaid mattress.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of thekind immediately above described which is inexpensive to produce,extremely easy'and inexpensive to install, and which is rugged anddurable in construction.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device ofthe class immediately above described which, in use, will not tend tocause excessive wear upon the fabric-covered side wall of the mattress.

A still further and highly important object of my invention is theprovision of side wall reinforcing means for innerspring mattress wallswhich is made up of a plurality of flexible resilient wire elements bentin generally zigzag shape and so arranged with respect to each other asto define longitudinally spaced upper and lower generally horizontalanchoring portions disposed in planes which are spaced apart verticallyapproximately the distance between the border wires of the mattress towhich it is intended to be secured, and angularly disposed portionswhich are in side-by-side crisscross arrangement, and means associatedwith said crisscrossed portions for holding said upper and lowerconnecting portions in substantial alignment to facilitate attachmentthereof to the border wires of said mattress, said means permittingunrestricted angular movements of said crisscrossed portions withrespect to each other after such attachment.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in perspective of a conventionalinnerspring mattress or cushion with my novel supporting means attachedthereto, some parts Patented Apr. 11, 1961 As shown in Fig. 2aconventional innerspring mattress, identified by the letter A, is madeup of a vertically compressible unit, identified in its entirety by thenumeral 1. Unit 1 comprises a plurality of rows of coil compressionsprings 2 and upper and lower relatively rigid frame-forming borderwires 3, 4 respectively. The coil compression springs 2 are suitablysecured together by elongated helical springs 5 and the marginallydisposed coil springs 2 are suitably anchored to the upper and lowerborder wires 3, 4 by means of helical springs 6, 7 extending completelyabout said border wires.

Preferably and as shown, but forming no part of my present invention, isa layer of cotton batten or other soft compressible material 8 whichoverlies and covers upper and lower ends of springs 6, 7. Material layer8, in turn, is covered by alayer of ticking or the like 9 forming theupper and lower surfaces of the mattress A. The side wall of themattress is defined by a length of ticking 10 the upper and loweredgesof which are secured in a conventional manner to the top and bottomwall-forming ticking members 9, as indicated at 11, 12.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 my novel reinforcing means B preferablycomprises a plurality of elongated flexible resilient wire elements 13bent in generally zigzag shape and so arranged with respect to eachother to define generally horizontal preferably opposed upper and lowerconnecting portions 14, 15 respectively, which are spaced apartvertically generally a distance equal to the distance between the upperand lower border wires 3, 4, and angularly disposed portions 16, 17which are in sideby-side crisscross arrangement, as indicated at 18.

While in the preferred embodiment of my invention, as shown, I utilizefour separate flexible resilient wire elements 13, the precise numberthereof is not vital. The important thing is that the elements 13 be soshaped and so arranged with respect to each other as to define generallyhorizontal upper and lower connecting portions 14, 15 respectively whichare spaced apart vertically generally a distance equal to the distancebetween the upper and lower border wires 3, 4 of the mattress A, andangularly disposed portions 16, 17 which are in loose side-by-sidecrisscross arrangement.

Furthermore, while it is appreciated that with my preferred arrangementthe angularly disposed portions 16, 17 of the wire elements 13 are inloose side-by-side crisscross arrangement both above and below theircrisscrossed intermediate portions 18, such arrangement is not necessaryto my invention and may not occur when a lesser number of wire elements13 is utilized.

Preferably and as shown, to maintain the upper and lower anchoringportions 14, 15 in general alignment and in planes spaced apart adistance substantially equal to the upper and lower border wires 3, 4 ofthe mattress A, I preferably apply opposed strips of pressure-sensitiveadhesive tape C to the loose crisscrossed portions 18.0f the angularlydisposed portions 16, 17. These opposed strips C not only adhere to eachother between the crisscrossed portions 18 but sufliciently grip thecrisscrossed portions 18 so as to retain them in a relatively fixedposition during shipping and during the installing operation.

Side wall reinforcing means, formed in accordance with springs 6, 7 topass thereabout during the same operation in which the verticallydisposed coil compression springs 2 are being secured to the borderwires 3, 4. Hence the step .of reinforcing the side wallltl of themattress A is accomplished without any additional time and almostwithout any additional eifort.

Fig. 3 shows a typical position which the side wall 10 and my novelreinforcing means B therefor assumes under compression. The looseattachment ofthe upper and lower connecting portions 14, 15 to the upperand lower border wires 3, 4 respectively showing the limited pivotal orrocking movements of the portions 14, 15 about horizontal axes which ispermitted by the rather loose but secure anchoring means altorded by theupper and lower helical springs 6, 7. Furthermore this loose connectionlikewise affords whatever limited axial movements may be required duringcompression of the side Wall reinforcingmeans B. Finally as an importantfeature of my invention, the opposed strips of pressure-sensitiveadhesive tapevC permit unrestricted angular movement of the crisscrossedportions 18 with respect to each other after attachment of my novelreinforcing means B to the mattress A and during compression andflection of the side wall 16 under load. While said strips C permit nouseful function after installation of the means'B to the mattress A,neither are they detrimental in any manner and hence need not beremoved.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completelysatisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects, and while Ihave shown a preferred embodiment thereof, I wish it to be understoodthat the same may be capable of further modification without depar turefrom the scope and spirit of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

Reinforcing means for the sidewalls of innerspring mattresses of thetype whichfinclude upper and lower border wires adjacent the upper andlower limits respec: tively of said sidewalls, said means comprisingaplih rality of flexible resilient wire elements bent in generaiiyzigzag shape and so arranged with respect to each other as to definegenerally opposed horizontal upper and tower connecting portions whichare spaced apartven tically generally a distance equal to thedistancebetw'een said upper and lower border wires, and angularlydisposed portionswhich are in side -by-side crisscross arrangement; andmeans associated with said crisscrossed portions for holding said upperand lower connecting portions in substantial alignment to facilitateattachment thereot'to the border wires of said mattress, said meanspermit-ting unrestricted angular movements of said crisscrossed portionswith respect to each other after such attachment, said last mentionedmeans comprising opposed strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.

References Cited in the tile of this patent

